Photo: PeterEtchells/Depositphotos
Have you ever seen a photo of a dolphin grinning, almost posing for the camera?
It turns out that cheesy' expression isn’t a coincidence.
A recent study published iniSciencefound that bottlenose dolphins often exhibit open-mouth expressions during playful exchanges.
Photo: PeterEtchells/Depositphotos
When one dolphin observes another making this smile, it often mimics ita behavior known as rapid facial mimicry.
Building on these observations, the researchers hypothesized that dolphins use open-mouth expressions to communicate.
Bottlenose dolphins are known for their playfulness at all ages.
Photo: Nicosbs/Depositphotos
However, this behavior should not be mistaken for actual smiling, as similar expressions appear in various contexts.
Nevertheless, this smiling expression was observed primarily during playtime, suggesting a playful association.
It was notably absent during aggressive interactions or more relaxed activities, such as parallel or upside-down swimming.
Photo: skvalval/Depositphotos
Researchers attribute this trend across species to a modified biting action without physical contact.
Dolphins are fascinating creatures renowned for theirhuman-like intelligenceand personalities, almost like the primates of the ocean.
A recent study found that bottlenose dolphins display open-mouth smiles during playful interactions.
Photo: fouroaks/Depositphotos
